6-pack dive boat

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Hi Wolf,

I don't know the regs where you are, but here in California, you need a commercial fishing license if you have customers spearfishing off a dive charter. It's around $1400 for the license here which makes it cost prohibitive for the amount of diver who want to spearfish here.

Don't want to see you find out the hard way from fish & game dept.

Best of luck,

Jon
 
Don't want to see you find out the hard way from fish & game dept.


Hi Jon,

That's a very good reminder! We have the same situation up here in the Pacific Northwest. One of our local captains was fined something like $40,000 for taking divers out on a spearfishing trip without a commercial fishing license (and the little sticker that goes with it).

It's definitely not something that you want to find out the hard way, and is worth checking the regulations with your fisheries department.
 
Here in NC we have commercial license that allows you to sell your catch, but a recreational fishing license for hook and line and spearfishing for personal consumption and within creel limits. Individuals have to possess an valid NC saltwater fishing license ($15) or the charter boat can buy a blanket license to cover all customers on the boat ($250).There are also some federal permits we have to get to do different species, ie snapper/grouper and dolphin/wahoo.

Are guys talking about state licenses? What makes them commercial? The fact you are taking $$$ to take people fishing?

I hope that kind of thinking doesn't make it over to this coast.
 
In Washington State, it is a "Charter" license, which is one of many "Commercial Fishing Licenses" that is offered by Fisheries. There is also a "Designated Vessel" fee and sticker.

They are not horribly expensive ~ $260 and ~$35 if you don't go after Salmon. It's just expensive if you Don't have the license!
 
In Florida, as long as every shooter has Recreational Fishing License (~$16/yr), they can shoot off any boat, private or commercial, or off the beach. They are only limited by Recreational daily species/size/quantity limits.

There is also a Vessel Fishing License, and it covers divers that don't have individual license(s), but its not required. Since most people (i check before boarding) that have a speargun have their own license, I don't carry a separate Vessel License.

I personally also have a commercial saltwater products license that allows me to sell my personal catch... non federally-regulated species only.

Thanks for the well wishes.
 
Any boat that takes paying customers out fishing in California (fishing charter, dive boat, no difference) needs a non resale commercial license and everyone fishing need their own individual license. The resale commercial licenses are not really an issue as there wont be a salmon season in California again this year. Doh!









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I hope this is not what the rest of us have to look forward to now that Nancy is in the drivers seat in Congress.

"Tax the fishermen for fishing, tax the boat for taking them out to fish, tax the fuel dock for supplying fuel to the boat taking the fishermen out to fish....." You must have some real good fish out there!
 
I used to have all the NYS commercial fishing licenses. Here in NY it is for selling only. I never sold any fish but I figured if I came home with a $15,000 tuna I'd want the opportunity. The first license was around $15. All additional licenses were $4 each. I had fin-fish, lobster, shellfish, crab...
Then one year while I had some major surgery planned, they raised all the licenses to $600 each. With my expected outage I didn't renew. The following year they wouldn't let me. No new licenses and with my lapse I was considered new.

Considering I never fished commercially, I was a revenue point with no consequence. These people just seem to have a knack for putting their brains in neutral.
 

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